Utahns are incredibly vocal about their Second Amendment right to bear arms, and children have been bearing the consequences.
Utah HB104 calls for the state board to establish standards for firearm safety instruction in public schools. Firearms will remain common in Utah households, so we must educate the children on safely living amongst them. If passed, this bill will prevent more gun accidents and fatalities. HB104 is necessary for protecting children.
HB104 Hits the Floor
Unintentional injury is a leading cause of death in children and adolescents in the U.S., with firearms being the primary injury method. In 2024, 43% of households reported loaded stored guns. Therefore, nearly half of the country’s population has improperly stored guns in their homes.
Children are victims of accidental injury because they are unaware of how to handle firearms safely. Most of these fatal accidents happen within the child’s home.
The most common occurrences of accidental firearm fatalities in children include playing with a gun, unintentionally pulling the trigger, thinking the firearm was not loaded and mistaking the firearm for a toy. This happens too frequently and a call for action is long overdue.
Define Developmentally Appropriate Material
HB 104 requires law enforcement agencies to instruct students on gun safety, and Subsection 4 states that classes must occur at least once from kindergarten through fifth grade. Further instruction will be given at least once to every student while in middle school and once again while the student is in high school.
Subsection 4.c calls for instructors to provide classes developmentally appropriate per grade level. Utah legislators must strengthen this bill by requiring a childhood development specialist to assist in determining appropriate material since it is currently unclear what determines a developmentally appropriate firearm safety class.
It is also undefined whether the law enforcement agent determines what material suits students and what qualifies them to do so. This is crucial since the instruction begins in kindergarten, which some parents believe is too young for this material.
Firearm Safety
Firearm-related emergencies are at an all-time high, making safety classes more crucial than ever before. Introducing these mandated classes will empower the upcoming generation to be diligent about using weapons. An educated population will reduce the amount of accidental firearm-related emergencies.
These classes will enable students to speak up and be aware of improper firearm usage. Education will teach students to identify a dangerous situation, whether at home, at a friend’s house or in a public setting. This is especially true if a student has never been around firearms before or seen their proper use. Without adequate education, a child will not have the tools to prevent firearm-related accidents.
A firearm safety course will not get rid of all firearm-related emergencies. The unfortunate truth is that not all incidents are accidents. But, it will break the pattern of reckless gun usage and save the lives of many. One life saved due to proper education is worth implementing required classes in public schools.
HB104 creates the potential to educate students’ families inexperienced with firearms. Utah has minimal regulations for firearm ownership beyond an age requirement of 18. This means many firearm owners are not educated on proper usage and storage. A student who may not be a firearm owner but lives with one will be able to bring education home. This can influence an older sibling, parent or guardian to safely handle a firearm.
Subsection 5 states firearm safety classes can be taught in conjunction with an existing hunter safety course or physical education curriculum. Therefore, the instruction would not disrupt core curricular classes and can be worked into the pre-existing curricula.
Student Opt-Out
HB104 does not mandate that every student participate in firearm safety classes. Subsection 8.a requires public schools to notify parents and guardians before the class is administered. A parent can opt a student out of this class and each student will participate in an alternative educational activity. This subsection is crucial for students who may be negatively impacted by the discussion of firearms.
Many find firearms in schools to be an alarming combination. Our nation has experienced far too many traumatic occurrences due to gun violence. These tragedies have altered many students, their friends and their families. Supporting a firearms safety course in public schools is unethical without acknowledging the traumas that instigated these mandated courses.
Therefore, families deciding to opt their students out of firearms courses must be allowed to do so peacefully and without further question. Furthermore, Utah legislators must strengthen this bill by requiring counselors to support students impacted by firearm trauma during the annual instruction of this course.
Firearm Safety Starts At Home
It is important to remember that this course does not encourage students to use firearms. It is for safety and accident prevention. Firearm education must enter the student’s home.
Firearm owners in Utah must not depend solely on classroom instruction. It is ultimately the gun owner’s responsibility to prevent accidents with their firearm. The combination of gun-owner safety awareness and student education leads to substantially fewer accidents.
Ideally, firearm-related traumas would be mitigated by stricter gun laws, such as required firearm safety classes for gun owners. In the meantime, having a well-educated student around a firearm is safer than a curious one. When it comes to students exposed to weapons in the U.S., it is not a matter of if but when. Therefore, a safe student is a firearm-educated student.
